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E. E. CLARK.

Sewing Machine No. 74,751. j Patented Feb. 25, 1868. 4

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EDWIN E. CLARK, OF ANN ARBO RJMIOHIGAN Lear. Patent No. 74,751, datedFebruary 25, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. CLARK, of Ann Arbor, in the county ofWashtenaw, in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new andimproved Devices to be Used as Stitch-Making Parts of MachinesConstructed for Sewing and Embroidering Cloth or other material; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full and an exact descriptionof the construction and operation of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked'thercon.

The nature and subject-matter of my invention may properly be dividedinto two parts, consisting of First, a novel method of forming the-loopsof the thread carried by an eye-pointed perforating-needle, and for thatpurpose I employ a needle, novel in its form and construction. Theneedles now and hitherto used are either straight or slightly curved,and the loops of the thread carried by the same are formed alike in bothcases, by the slackening of the thread whilethe needle is beingwithdrawn from the cloth. The needle which I have substituted is muchmorebowed or curvedthan the curved needles hitherto used, and the loopsare formed by the curvature and construction of the needle, in a manneraccompanied with a much greater certainty than the method hithertoadopted.- ,Also, certain parts of novel construction and arrangement inthe machine, by'which such needle is'held, controlled, supported,and-vibrated in such a manner as to operate successfully, in distinctionfrom the devices heretofore adopted for operating the cu zv'ed needleshitherto used, which are not applicable to the needle which I havesubstituted therefor.

Second, a'novel instrument for detaining and spreading the loop of thethread carried by the perforating needle, which is also called a loopcr,andis used in that class of sewing-machines which make the chain or tarn.bour stitch. It hasla spiral form, is forked at thepoint, and receivesa spiral vibratory movement. The loop is seized by the forked point,and, beiiig spread and enlarged by the form and movement of theinstrument, is carried into a position to be entered by theperforating-needle, This part of my invention also embraces alooper-shaft, together with certain devices'connected therewith, bywhichthe spiral vibratory movement before mentioned is given to suchlooper-shaft and looper. i

The construction, operation, and uses of the several devices hereinmentioned are fully set forth and explained in the descriptionhereinafter given.

To. enable others skilled in the art to make and use the several devicesbefore mentioned as of my inven tion, I will proceed to describe thesame. The accompanyihg drawings, which will constitute a part of mydescription, consist of five several and distinct parts, represented byfigures.

Figure l is a perspective view', exhibiting most of the parts whichconstitute my invention, so placed and arranged as to show theirrespective and relative positions in a machine, and when being operated.

Figures 2,3, '4, and 5,.represent each respectively some part of myinvention, which is not shown or not fully exhibited in fi 1. I

I In referring to the drawings by the lctters'of reference markedthereon, the reference will in all cases be made and apply to fig. 1 ofthe same, except when the other figures shall be each respectivelyreferred to by an especial mention and designation of the same. I

Commencing with part first of my invention, A A represent thecloth-table of a sewing-machine, having a; part ofthe same cut away forthe purpose of bringing to view certain parts of my invention which arelocated beneath the same. B is a standard, fastened to such cloth-tableon the upper side, and near to one end of the same, having an arm, whichprojects over such cloth-table in the usual manner. On the end'of sucharm there is fastened slotted "plate C, ina position perpendicular tothe cloth-table, having in its lower part slot D Such slot-is-in' theform of an arc of a small circle, and has parallel sides. E represents avibrating-needle holder. confined within slot D, D, and is constructedof two small oblong and flatpieces or plates of metal, one.

of which is so cut away and shaped on one side as to forrban oblongcurved projection, which is inserted between the sides of such slot, andpassing through the same is flush andeven with the surface of plate 0 onthe other side. Against such projection, on such other side, thecther orsecond plate is placed, and projects past the sides of the slot. The twopieces are fastened together by screws, 41 and 6. 'Scrcwa alsofastensthe needle to the needle-holder, and the screw 6 forms a hoiing-pin, to connect the connecting-bar K with the same, as hereinafterdescribed. The needlc-holder, thus foruind, becomes practically onepiece, having grooves on'two d'pposite sides, which are filled by theedges of the plate 0, and is thus securely confined therein. Suchneedleholder is fully shown at E, fig. 4. The needle-holder occupiesonly a part of the slot, a sufiicient space? being left for itsnecessary motion within the same. H represents a revolving crank-wheel,attached to the end of the driving-shaft of the machine at J. Krepresents a connecting-bar, one end of which is attached to thecrank-wheel H by crank-pin c, and the other end to needle-holder E, byholding-pin 6, before mentioned, for the purpose of giving areciprocatory motion to such needle-holder. F represents a reciprocatingneedle, bent or bowed in'the form of the arc of 'a small circle,conforming in curvatureto a central line drawn through the middle ofslot D D, parallel to the sides of the same. It is grooved on theouteror convex side, and has an eye near the point, passing through itfrom the outer to -the inner side in the plane of its curvature. Theshank is bent in the form of a ring or loop, and is'countersunk, with asmall part of the needle-stock, in the side of the needle-holder at thefore end of the same, and is fastened thereto by screw a, which passesthrough the loop or ring, and has its head tightly screwed down upon thesame. In placing and fastening the needle upon the needle-holder, such adirection is given to the projecting and perforating part of the same,that when out'of the cloth, and lying at its farthest point backward,such projecting part extends forward in a line parallel with the centralline through slot D D, before mentioned, which has the same curvature asitself. By the construction and arrangement of the parts as thusdescribed, when reciprocating movement is given to the needle-holder, itfollows the curve of slot D D, and the needle reciprocates"in the arc ofa circle, having the same curvature with itself. Such needle isseparately and fully shown atF, fig. 3. I is a small projection fromplate 0 at the lower end of slot D D, with a holeor eye throughit,'situated,directly in the path of needle F, and in which thesame isconfined, for the purpose of staying and supporting such needle duringits movements. When the needle i s out of the cloth, and drawn back toits farthest point, the extreme point of the same rests withinsuch holeor. in projection I, the eye of such needle being sufliciently above thesame to admit of it bcingthreadcd, and when the needle moves forward,and. penetrates the material being sewed, it is prevented'by such projection from springing or spreading in any direction. The curvature ofneedle F is represented by the arc of a much smaller circlc than thecurva-turc of the curved perforating-needles heretofore used, and theloops of the thread carried by such needlcare formed in a manner new anddifferent from that which has been heretofore used, all of which Iwillnow describe and explain.

When needle F moves forward, and passes through the cloth or materialbeing sewed, it carries along the thread doubled, the portion of thethread on the outer side of the needle lying in the groove of theneedle, and the portion of the same on the inside of the needle lying ina straight line from the eye of the needle to the cloth, in the mannerin which the chord subtends an arc of a circle. The two portions of thethreadarc thus separated, and a loop is formed, which continues to. beenlarged and spread, until the needle has arrived at its farthest pointdownward. By constructing such needle with a suitable curvature, and ofa proper length, the loop thus formed issufliciently large andpracticable to admit the point of a shuttle, looper, hook, or any otherinstrument which may be used for connecting it with another thread, oranother loop of the same thread in the formation of stitches. Such loopisrepresented at c c in the drawings. After the entering of the point ofsuch instrument, if such instrument be properly constructed for thatpurpose, the loop will be sufficiently enlarged by its own form andlateral pressure for the further passing in or through it of the same,as maybe necessary, or such loop may be distended for that purpose by anauxiliary'instrument.

I am not aware that loops have been heretofore formed in the manner thusdescribed, in any sewing-machine using a single eye-pointedperforating-needle in conjunction with an auxiliary instrument for theformation of stitches, or that any needle of suitable curvature andconstruction for that purpose has been used in any such machine. Theeye-pointed perforating-needles hitherto and now used, are eitherstraight or slightly curved, the curvature of such curved needles beingrepresented by the arcs of circles comparatively large, and theloeps' ofthe-thread carried by the same are formed alike in both cases, by theslackening of, the thread while the needle is being withdrawn from thecloth. Such loops are loose, slack, and uncertain in both theirformationand their practicability for use. Sometimes the thread slides upwardwith the needle while being withdrawn fromthe cloth, and no loop isformed; at other times, the loop is formed on the side of the needleadverse to the instrument, which is intended to assist it, or, whilebeing formed, files away from the track of such instru: ment. In suchcases the stitch is missed or not formed. Q

In using needles having the slight curvature of the curved needleshitherto used, with otherwise thesame construction, and operated in thesame manner as needle F, the portions of the thread on the inner andouter side of the needle are not sufficiently separated to admit ofpracticable loops being formed by the curvature of the same. Indistinction therefrom, by using needles more and sufficiently bowed orcurved, as represented by needle F,such practicable loopsare formed witha high degree of mechanical certainty.

I do not limit and confine myself to needles having a specific anddefined curvature, asneedles having many different degrees of curvaturesmay be used to form such loops. But my invention relates to andembracesthe method of forming loops by the curvature of the needle, inthe manner hereinbefore described, and the use of a needle of a suitablecurvature and construction for'that purpose, both of which I consider asnew and hitherto unused.

A different and equivalent construction may be given to the severalparts hereinbefore'described. Therefore I do not confine myself to theprecise construction of needleholder E, and to the confining the samewithin slot D D,- as the same may be constructed and'bonfined to orbetween one or more ribs of metal in many differnt ways and mgdgg, N rdo .I confine myself to forming the needle with bent shank, andfastening the same to the needle-holder in the manner described, as adiifermt mode of forming the shankand fastening the same may be adopted.Needle-support I may also tbe given a different and equivalentconstruction. Nordo I limit myself to the mode of operating the'necdle-holder and needle, by revolving crankgwheel H, andconnecting-bar l'lllva K, as equivalent modes may be adopted. But Iconsider my invention as embracing the principle of the operation of theseveral parts, whatever may be the precise mode or form of theirconstruction;

Necdlescorresponding with the before described needle F, have not,within my knowledge, been hitherto used-insewing-machines. Neither am Iaware that any device has been adopted by which such needle can be supcessfully operated.

In using needles curved inthe form of an arc of a circle,'it isnecessary that they should be reciprocated in an arc of a circle of .thesame curvature with themselves, to prevent their tearing or moving thecloth or material being sewed. It is also important that the centre ofthe circle in the arc of which the needle moves, when two or more piecesof .cloth or other material are being sewedtogether, be in or near theplane in which the cloth-moves, to prevent the stitches from being laidobliquely through the same, and o'ccasioning thereby a slipping orslidingof the pieces upo'n each other, and a loosening of the stitches.

In sewing-machines using needles slightly curved, as bcfdre mentioned,the needleshave' been attached to the end of a vibratingdever or arm,the fulcrum or vibrating centre of the' same being at the end of thecloth, table opposite to the needle, such lever or arm being the radiusof a circle, corresponding with such needle ,in curvature, andof-suflicient length to admit of a. sufiicient cloth-space between thefulcrum and needle. But in using needles ofa suitable curvature forforming loops bythe curvature of the same, in the manner beforedescribed, this method is impracticable. The curvature of such a needlemust correspond with an arc of a circle of only a few iiiches indiameter, and the vibrating-lever or arm representing the radius of-suchcircle, willbe so short that if the fulcrum or vibrating centre beplaced in the plane of the cloth, too small a space will be left betweenit and the needle for a practicable cloth-table. I have thereforeadopted a novel method 'of operating such needle, which is fully shownin the drawings licreinbeforc described, and may be explained in thefollowing manner by reference thereto: A circle is supposed to be drawn.the plane of which lies at rightangles to the surface of thecloth-table, and a part of the circumference of which coincides withneedle F and-the arc of the circle in which it moves. Such circle isbisected into two equal parts or semicircles, by the surface of'thecloth tableA A, which is practically the same as the plane of the cloth,or the plane in which the cloth inoves. The needle-holder E, and the'slot D D in plate C, in which the needle-holder is confined, are'situated at the upper part of one of such semicircles lying above thecloth-table; and when the needle-holder lies at the back end of theslot, andthe needle is consequently withdrawn from the cloth, there isan openand unobstructed space between the slotted plate 0 and thecloth-table, sufficiently large to admit of the inserting, confining,and moving the cloth or material being sewed. The needle is moved in themanner before described, by connecting the needle-holder with revolvingcrank-wheel H, by connecting-bar K, lying above the cloth-table. Theconnectingbar K can be made of any desired length, and the standard Band the driving part of the machine can be placed at any correspondingrequired distance fromthe needle, without any change being made in theposition of the same. By the construction and arrangement of the partsthus shown and described, the centre of vibration of the needle isplaced in the plane in which the cloth moves at'the fore part of thecloth-table, and any required cloth-space is obtainable between theneedle and the driving part of the machine; in the manner described.

Having now sufliciently set forth part first of my invention, I willproceed to describe the second part of the same, reference being bad tothe drawings. I I i M is a looper-shaft, constructed ofa round rod,passing along under and parallel with the cloth-table, into the end ofwhich the shank of looper W, hereinafter described, is inserted andfastened by set-screwf. At N there is'a screw upon such looper-shaft,passing througha corresponding stationary nut or female screw fastenedto the under side of the cloth-table, for the purpose of giving anadvancing and receding spiral movement ;to' such shaft and lo'oper, 'ashereinafter described. The looper-shaft is held in its positionby thenut at N, and the standing plate or standard Q, at the back end of themachine, the end of the shaft passing through the same. T is a revolvingcam, placed and fastened on the driving-shaft J, on the opposite orifurther side of standard B. P P is a rack-bar, stationed in a verticalgroove, also in the opposite or further side of standard B, and not inview. There is on such rack-bar a projecting pin, holding afriction-roller under and in contact with the edge of cam T. Risavibrating-lever or bar, one end of which is fastened to thenut at N, bya s'tation ary pin, which constitutes its fulcrum; the other end restsupon a projection on the lower end of, rack-bar P P; and is forcedagainst thesame by coiled spring S, carrying upwards such rack-bar, andkeeping the friction roller on the same in constant contact with theedge of cam T. O is a small cog-wheel, placed and fastened olooper-shaft M, having the cogs on the same fitting or gearing in withthe teeth of rack-bar P P. Bach-bar" P P, with the fr-ictiomroller V onthe'same, is separately and fully shown by fig. 5 of the drawings.

When the machine is in motion, revolving cam T, in conjunction withspring-bar R, causes an up-and-down motion of rack-bar P P, whi'chproduces, by the operation of cog-wheel O, and the screw on thelooper-shaft, and the nut at N, a longitudinal reciprocating as well asrocking movement of the looper-shaft and looper. Cam T is so formed asto hasten or retard the movement of the looper, as may benceessary,while operating in conjunction with the perforating-needle in formingstitches.

The loop-detaining instrument hereinbefore mentioned as a part of myinvention, which is designed to be used in forming the chain ortambour-stitch with a single thread, is represented at W, fig. 2. It isconstructed of a rod or elongated piece of metal,.one end of whichconstitutes a straight shank; the other end is bent into the form of aspiral coil of a? single winding, more or less; and the point is dividedinto two prongs, an-upper and a lower one. The point of thclowcr 'prongis bent inwardly toward the shank of the looper, while the upper ;prongextends forward in a direct line. The instrument or looper W, when used,is fastened within the loopershaft M, and operated by the same.

Its mode of operation in conjunction with the perfcratingmeedle, is asfollows When theloopof the thread carried by the perforating-needle isfully formed, as represented at c a, the looper moves forward, and theproje cting prong enters the loop. Its further progress within the sameis soon arrested by the bent lower prong, and as the perforating-needleretires upward to pass out of the cloth,- the loop becomes hung betweenthe two prongs. Then as the pointiof the looper progresses downward-inits spiral course, the body of the loope'r slides or passes in betweenthetwo sidesof the loop, and the same is thereby continually spread andenlarged by the fcirrri of the instrument, until the Forward movement ofthe looper'is completed. The perforating-needle then returns, and n'henit has made a. euthcient progress downward, the looper assumes itsbackward inovement and throws the loop over the point of theperforating-needle, and the seine is drawn up to the cloth in the usualmanner. I l

I do not confine myself exclusively to the use of the-ecrewon the loopershaft and the stationary nut at U, for the purpose of producing theparticular spiral movement of the looper-shaft and loopers beforedescribed, as the same-may he produced by a pin in such shaft, fittingand operating in a spiral slot in a stationary collar or sleeve, throughwhich such looper-shaft'may be made to pass. Nor do I limit myself tothe particular mode of giving a rocking movement to such looper-shaft,by means of the cog-wheel on the same at 0,,rack-bar P P, and revolvingcam T, as thc'same may he eflected in other and dificrent modes, byknown devices. Also, I do not confine loopers L and W to a conjunctionwith needle F, in operatingin the manner described, as they severallyoperate in precisely the same manner in conjunction with the eye-pointedperforating-needles heretofore used, frining'respeotively thedouble-loop and the chain or tembour-stitches. 7

Having now sufliciently set forth anddescrihed the construction andoperation of the several devices which constitute my invention, I willproceedto statewi'hat I claim, and desire to secuie by Letters Patent.

1. The slotted plate 0, constructed substantially as described-and forthe purpose set forth.

2. The needle-holder E, constructed substantially as described, incombination with the slotted guiding plate G, as and for the purpose setforth. v

3. The curved eye-pointed needle F, operating in the arc of a circle,the centre of movement of which cor responds with the plane of themovement of the cloth, and operated by means substantially as described.

4. The looper W, constructed and operated substantially as described.

-5. The combination of looper' W and curved ye-pointed needle F, whenconstructed and operating together as and for the purposc set forth.

, EDWIN E. CLARK. Witnesses: i

0,- HAWKINS,

J. R. WEBSTER.

